A collection of thoughts
and photos of my life and
work in the northern
Great Plains of
North America
(and occasionally other
places in the world).

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Birds of Montana

A while back I mentioned that I had some exciting news concerning Montana birds and a project I am working on. I can now let you know that the project is a book on the Birds of Montana. Jeff Marks, senior author of the project, invited Paul Hendricks, Dan Casey and myself to co-author this work he has been trying to get underway for a while. We are currently seeking funds to help support research and writing time, pay for illustrations and travel to museums and libraries, and defray printing costs to reduce the retail price of the book. All royalties from book sales will go to Montana Audubon.In addition to soliciting foundations, businesses, and government agencies, we are requesting support from individuals who have an interest in birds and conservation in Montana. One way individuals can participate is through sponsorship of species accounts. Individuals can sponsor one or more accounts, with the sponsor's name appearing at the end of each account and in the acknowledgments (see Barn Owl and Mountain Plover accounts). The donation amount for sponsoring an account ranges from $100-300, depending on the conservation status of the species. The rate for agencies and corporations is $1,000 per species independent of conservation priority. Donations are fully tax deductible.I am really excited to be part of this project and I am looking forward to letting you know more about it as it grows.